Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2006-07: Thomas Hickey played for Seattle as a 15-year-old and has improved his offensive play each season. He played most of the past season with veteran Scott Jackson (STL). He scored nine goals and 41 assists in 68 games.

2007-08: While his offensive production did not exceed his pre-draft season, Hickey took on a much larger role both as a target for the opposition and as a team leader. Tenth in the WHL in scoring among defensemen with 45 points in 63 games, Hickey was named a First Team All-Star for the Western Conference. As a squad, the Seattle Thunderbirds shifted their scoring emphasis more towards their forwards this season than in past years, capable of icing two equally potent scoring lines, and reducing their reliance on production from the blueline. Consequently, Hickey concentrated on other aspects of his game and rounded into more of a pure two-way defenseman with a considerable amount of grit.

2008-09: Attempting to round out his skills as a defenseman, Hickey spent the first half of the season concentrating on the defensive side of the rink with Seattle of the WHL, resulting in a mild drop in points but a spike in +/-. Unleashed for the second half of the season, Hickey went on a tear that turned previously low goal and point totals to start the season into career highs for each. Assigned to Manchester at the conclusion of Seattle’s season, Hickey did not skip a beat in immediately integrating himself into the team and scoring seven points in his seven games in the AHL.

2009-10: In an injury plagued professional debut, Hickey only appeared in 19 regular season games, posting 1 goal and 5 assists. In 4 playoff games with Manchester, he managed 3 assists.

2010-11: Hickey appeared in a career-high 77 games in his second season with Manchester (AHL) after playing in just 23 games (including playoffs) due to injury the year before. Hickey scored 6 goals with 18 assists and was +9 with 38 PMs, generally playing in one of the top two pairs for the Monarchs. After finishing second in the Atlantic Division, Manchester fell to eventual Calder Cup champion Binghamton in a tight, seven-game, first-round series. Hickey had an even plus/minus for the series with 2 assists.

2011-12: One of two players to skate in all 76 games for Kings AHL affiliate Manchester, Hickey was a team best plus-16 and scored 3 goals with 23 assists and 36 penalty minutes in his third pro season. The Monarchs finished second in the Atlantic Division and lost to Norfolk three games to one in a first round playoff series. Hickey was the second-leading scorer for the Monarchs in the series with 4 assists and was plus-four with 2 penalty minutes. He was re-called as a “Black Ace” during the Kings Stanley Cup run in the playoffs but did not see any action. Hickey signed a one-year contract extension with the Kings in July, 2012.

2012-13: Hickey played in 39 NHL games for the Islanders after being claimed on waivers from the Kings in January. He scored 1 goal with 3 assists and was +9 with 8 penalty minutes. Hickey played in two games in New York’s playoff series with Pittsburgh and was -2 with 2 penalty minutes. Before joining the Islanders, Hickey was an assistant captain for the Kings AHL affiliate Manchester. He played 33 games with the Monarchs during the lockout and was +4 with 3 goals, 9 assists and 12 penalty minutes.

Talent Analysis

Hickey's strong suit is his skating ability and he exudes confidence on and off the ice. He plays bigger than his 5'11, 185-pound frame might suggest. A well-spoken player with great on-ice vision. Uses his skating ability to move the puck out of the zone and pressure the opposition's forwards up-ice. Might develop into a future powerplay quarterback.

Future

Photo: The fourth overall pick in 2007, defenseman Thomas Hickey is still trying to find his game in the AHL as part of the Manchester Monarchs' blue line corps. (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

The Los Angeles Kings minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, is absolutely packed and brimming with talent of all shapes and sizes. Through recent drafting and promotion of junior level prospects, the Monarchs have filled their lines and pairings with a wealth of two-way talent, defensive talent, goal-scorers, and grinders.

Photo: Two-way blueliner Jake Muzzin is one of the Los Angeles Kings' top defensive prospects playing with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs in 2012-13. (courtesy of Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

For many years running now the Los Angeles Kings have had one of the best youth systems in the NHL. However, with promotions of players, deals involving picks, and later round selections, the pool has diminished slightly over time. It is the natural progression of a rebuilding mode that has given the organization three top-five picks since 2007 and seven top-15 picks since 2005.

Winning the Stanley Cup is a proud moment for an the entire organization from top to bottom, but while the players, coaching staff, and upper management get much of the publicized credit, scouting and development personnel rarely get their due praise.

Photo: Winger Tyler Toffoli is one of the top offensive prospects in the Kings system. Toffoli managed 52 goals in 65 OHL games in 2011-12. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

Thanks to graduations and trades, Thomas Hickey was the only former first-round pick among the Los Angeles Kings’ prospects last season. Thin on high-profile selections, the Kings system was replete with well-rounded players seeking to strengthen their identity to carve niches at the next level. However, it was also brimming with character, industriousness, and a number of players who exceeded expectations. Shifting from high selections and home-run swings, the Kings have sought to invest later selections shrewdly as they have solidified their pro roster, which captured the Stanley Cup this past season.